Wild Valentine
by The Fangirling Bookworm
Summary: "Merritt McKinney. Daniel Atlas. Henley Reeves. Jack Wilder. Esme Valentine. Arthur Tressler and the MGM Grand proudly presents The Five Horsemen." Join the Five Horsemen in magic, mystery, and merriment. This is a revision of my original Wild Valentine story to make it better. Disclaimer: I own nothing.
1. Chapter I: Water

_Water is the driving force of all nature._

_**- Leonardo da Vinci**_

* * *

_**Chapter I: Water**_

_The Forum_

_Washington_

_Wednesday_

_7:34 PM_

She was practically running through the backstage as her assistants finished their little show with the kids. _My feet are so going to blister after this_, she thought looking down at her attire: a white mini, pleated skirt with a hidden magnesium zipper that would reflect light in a later trick then disintegrate; a black long-sleeved, velvet jacket with tails behind her that exposed the skirt; an attached white vest with black velvet buttons engraved with an alchemist water symbol; a black bow tie and mini top hat; and black, knee-high stiletto boots. She watched from the red velvet curtains as her announced called for her:

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've been waiting for. Esme Valentine!"

Esme watched as the spotlight hit the area where her _assistants_ would enter from.

The announcer, a tall male approximately twenty-five, looked shocked, "Oh no! Where did Miss Valentine run off to?"

"I'm right here, boys," she waved her delicate hand, flipping her hair back as she walked on the stage's pool, which was filled with water, performing the _Walk On Water_ trick. The audience cooed with awe and amazement. _I am awesome_, Esme smirked. She kicked off a shoe, letting it float down in the water, one by one. An assistant came on stage in a skimpy bikini, causing the males to wolf-whistle the young girl. She began to swim _underneath_ Esme. The audience cheered louder and louder until she made it to the end of the pool before disappearing.

"Esme is off running amuck again, folks. Have any of you seen her?" The assistants put their hands to their heads, forming binoculars and shielding the eyes in a mock search for their magician.

"Over here, boys and girls," Esme appeared, suspended from the ceiling with her leg hooking around a pole as her other leg hung freely. She eventually came onto the ground but flies swarmed around her. "I don't know about you guys but I really hate flies." She caught one and the camera zoomed in on her killing the fly. "But I don't hate them enough to kill them." The fly got out of her hand and started to fly around until her assistant threw a knife and pinned the fly to the knife board on stage.

A man in a dark hoodie sat at the bar in the crowd watching Esme's final trick.

"Alright, here is my handy water bottle, folks. I never go anywhere without my strawberry water," Esme took a drink before pouring all the strawberries out and a bit of water. "Oh no, I was really looking forward to those strawberries. Maybe I could get more strawberries." She let go of the now suspending bottle in the air and 'accidentally' flipped it upside down but no water poured out from it. "Two strawberries, folks," she held up two in each hand before suspending one above and one under the water bottle. She turned around to grab more and more strawberries until the water bottle was suspended in midair with a strawberry circle around it. "Does anyone know the magic words?" The audience screamed simultaneously different magic words, and the strawberries started to disappear one by one until all of them were in the bottle. The audience cheered, then louder when she disappeared.

"Esme Valentine, everyone!"

* * *

_MARCH 29_

_4:44 PM_

_45 EAST EVAN ST_

_NY, NY_

A card bearing an eye an the aforementioned wording appeared in Esme's water bottle as she opened it to take a drink. _Hm, that's interesting_.

* * *

**A/N: **This is going to be a revision of the previous writing of the story. Hopefully, this one will be longer and better in writing. But bear with me, writing is **hard**.


	2. Chapter II: Dry Ice

_Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door._

_- __**Kyle Chandler**_

* * *

_**Chapter II: Dry Ice**_

Esme stopped at the sight of three other people, her boots ceasing in clicking and scoffing the floor. She glanced around at the other apartment numbers, _Am I at the right place?_ She made sure to make an impression on whoever gave her the card in the first place by wearing a v-neck, dark blue Abercrombie sweater with dark wash jeans from A&F and her signature knee-high black boots.

"Well, let me be the first one to kick me ego to the curb," she muttered, seeing the card in the red-head's hands. "Hi, I see you guys als-"

"But I was too _fat_ for Danny," the redhead vehemently spat out her words to the older male. She held a coffee cup in her hands, and the scene looked like she was ready to dump her hot drink on the younger male's face.

"Okay, I'm sure we can all handle this situation in an-"

"Uh, no, I said that _one_ time, 'cause of the trap door," 'Danny' said, nodding to the older male as though he would understand.

"You built it this size!" - the redhead indicated a tiny size with her hands. - "_No one_!"

"Rebecca fit. Rebecca fit for _years_."

"Cheese and rice, you guys fight like a married couple."

"We're _not_ a couple!" they shouted simultaneously.

"No way," Esme turned around to see yet another guy. He was dressed in a leather jacket and all black with a dark colored backpack. "J. Daniel Atlas. I've seen everything you've ever done. You're - you're like … I idolize you."

"A true fan," Daniel shook this mystery guy's hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Jack by the way."

_So the mystery guy has a name. Cute._

"Question, did you get one of these?" the oldest asked, pointing to his own card labelled _The Hermit_.

"Yeah, uh" - Jack pulled his out from his bag - "_Death._"

"_The High Priestess_," the redhead said. She turned to Esme, "Henley Reeves, by the way. Escape Artist and Illusionist."

"Nice to meet you. Valentine, Esme. Illusionist and Levitator," she held her card up, "_The Distraction_."

"J. Daniel Atlas. Magician, Illusionist. _The Lover_," he held up his card, almost sheepishly.

Henley faked several coughs of a cough attack, "Three minutes." Daniel glared at her.

"Merritt McKinney, Illusionist and Hypnotist. _The Hermit_. Result of the voices in my head," the eldest of the group joked.

"So what are we … Are we waiting for someone? Why are we- why are we just." Jack stuttered, probably because there was a pretty girl in the room and he wasn't talking about Henley.

"The door is locked," everyone told him.

"Oh, no, Nothing's- " Jack smirked with a soft chuckle -"Nothing's ever locked." He pushed past Henley and Daniel, accidentally colliding with Esme's … upper chest. He started chuckling nervously before kneeling over and opening the door by picking the lock. In a matter of seconds, the door was opened.

_This Jack character is fast. I wonder just _how _fast he can be_, Esme thought. She started to blush as her thoughts turned to things other than the task at hand, entering the apartment behind Henley.

Unbeknownst to her, Jack was using his flashlight for something specific and not in a room. _Damn, you could fit that ass on a nickel. I could fall madly … in bed for her._

"Gross," Esme noted, the bathroom taking her thoughts away from Jack's big, long … flashlight. "Is there even light in this place?"  
"Man, its freezing in here," Jack said Esme jogged over to everyone else to re-group.

Daniel shined his flashlight on a small, white notecard and white rose with the green thornes still intact.

"What's that?" Henley asked.

"I don't know," Daniel responded, moving to pick up the white card as Merritt and Henley grouped by his sides.

"What's it say?" Esme asked, slightly rubbing her arms.

"_Now you don't_," he responded after flashing his light on the card, looking up at her with a raised eyebrow to which she responded with an _I-don't-know_ facial expression.

Henley picked up the rose, citing Shakespeare, "A rose by any other name."

Daniel looked confused, not knowing the reference. Esme giggled a bit as did Jack, but Jack was looking at Esme more than she was at Daniel. After Henley put the rose in the glass water pitcher, the water began to empty from the bottom of the glass into the carvings on the wooden floor to release dry ice as every exclaimed in awe.

"Whoa, it's gas," Jack said.

"Relax, it's just dry ice," Merritt told him. Someone clearly hadn't taken basic chemistry in high school.

"Wait, what do you think this is all about?" Daniel asked with a slight smile.

"Hang on, hang on," Merritt said, closing his eyes and resting his fingers on his temple. He sighed, "I've got nothing."

"Okay, thank you," Daniel glared, clearly irritated, "Thank you for the delay."

Meanwhile, Jack and Esme were in a world of their own. Esme was crouched to hover the ground, and Jack was checking out her ass. Well, that or he was trying to see down her shirt.

"Okay lovebirds-" Henley began. Jack snapped his head to her, looking between her and Esme to see if anyone noticed what he was trying to do. When she didn't seem to notice and her gaze was on Daniel, Jack sighed with relief. "-get a room. Danny, be honest, did you do this?"

"What? No," Daniel looked over to Jack, "Wait, did either of you?"

"No," Esme said as Jack said, "I wish."

"Why didn't anyone ask if I did it?" Merritt called over to them.

Henley shared a look with Esme.

_She's so cute_, Jack noticed.

"Oh, great," Merritt commented sarcastically.

Esme looked over to Daniel, nudging Jack to look also. Daniel was flipping the switch back and forth, looking at a door with some sort of hidden camera.

"Electricity's out," Jack said.

Daniel flashed his flashlight at the door, and Merritt began to twist a lightbulb in the chandelier. Bright blue lights began to flash through three different corners of the room. The blue lights began to project a series of convoluted blueprints in the center of everyone as they formed a slight circle. Everyone began to exclaim in awe:

"Blueprints!" Henley chuckled.

"They're incredible," Daniel awed.

"Who do you think did this?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, but I really want to meet them," Esme whispered to Jack.

"It's a show," Merritt said lastly.

Everyone tuned into Daniel as he tried to touch a piece of the blueprint projection that would later become their symbol as The Five Horsemen

* * *

**A/N:** I just wanted to update again because the beginning was _so _short. So enjoy :-)


	3. Chapter III: Waters of Paris and Vegas

"If only falling in real life love were this easy. Take a big breath and open your eyes"

**- Linda Yellin, **_**What Nora Knew**_

* * *

_**Chapter III: The Waters of Paris … and Las Vegas**_

_**ONE YEAR LATER**_

"_Jack, c'mon," Esme whined. She was using the long sleeves of Jack's big high school sweater to tie around his arms in a handcuff sort of way, but it wasn't working._

"_Hehe, Es, stop. It's not going to work," Jack laughed. After he said that though, Esme pushed him down and straddled his hips, grabbing his arms and pulling the cloth of his jean button-up shirt to his elbows so that she could successfully tie his hands together and drag him to the kitchen counter and away from the television by the couch._

"_Ha!" she exclaimed in success._

"_Kinky," Merritt said from the staircase he was walking down, "but not in a public room, guys. We eat, nap, and watch tv here."_

"_Well, sorry, Mer, I was just trying to get Jack to help for once, "she stuck her tongue out at the aforementioned, who had pulled his phone out and stretched his legs onto the dining table._

"_And you, mister!" Merritt turned to look at Jack, "We eat on that table! So stop your instagramming, facebooking, social media nonsense!"_

"_It's not nonsense!" Esme defended. "C'mon, Jack. Help me with the flashpaper. We have to make the nitrocellulose before the twelve so the paper can burn on tip."_

"_Fine, but we're having sex afterwards," he pointed at her._

"_C'mon, guys, I came down here to eat something," Henley said, walking down the steps in a workout attire._

"_Sorry, Hen, a girl's got to have some sex," Esme laughed._

"_Yeah, but you guys don't have to advertise your friends with benefits to everyone. The paparazzi already think you're secretly banging each other."_

"_Well … we are," Esme giggled. Then she saw the look on Henley's face. "But of course, we'll keep it on the DL _If _Jack actually helps me with the cellulose first!"_

"_Jack, just go, dude. You get _sex _afterwards," Merritt told him._

* * *

_PARIS, FRANCE_

_NIGHT_

_Esme had just finished putting the rest of the flashpaper in the plastic wrapping when Jack pulled up to Henley and Daniel exiting from the truck Merritt opened. _Shit, that was close_, Esme internally cursed. She got out and started to replace the empty truck with the flashpaper._

"_We good?" she asked jumping out of the truck as Daniel and Merritt closed it._

"_Yeah, except my back hurts from laying down in there for so long. Jesus, I never thought I would need a spa day," Daniel complained, rubbing his shoulder blades._

_Henley and Esme giggled, but only Esme talked, "Maybe you and Henley can go for a spa day." She wiggled her eyebrows and Henley slapped her shoulder as a 'shut-up' movement, causing the younger to giggle more._

"_Why would I- You know what, never mind. You girls and your other language."_

_Jack picked Esme up from behind and threw her in the trunk, laughing as she struggled, "There's no use in struggling. I'll still have my way with you."_

"_Gross, get a room you two," Henley grimaced._

"_You and Danny-boy first," Esme laughed._

* * *

_PARIS, FRANCE_

_HOTEL LE SIX_

_DAY_

"_Okay, Henley, go. Etienne is just around the corner. And remember 'Pardon, monsieur'," Esme called over the bluetooth. She sighed, rubbing her hands on her jean-covered thighs._

"_What?" Jack asked, looking over at her._

"_I never thought I'd say this but I want to go home. Paris is getting to be so much work."_

"_Want to take your mind off it?" Jack smirked, his voice deepening as he implied a certain something. He moved to pull Esme down on his lap, kissing her slowly and gently._

I've got his measurements_, Henley called over on bluetooth._

_Esme sighed, "Can't. We've got work to do." She looked over to Jack. "Are you boys done with the machine yet?"_

"_Almost, we just need you to implant the measurements so we can make the opening and then the helmet."_

_Esme sighed again, she was tired. Too much tech work was getting to her._

"_Hey, Esme, do you want to-"_

"_Jack, we need you to help us with the helmet," Daniel called over to him from a separate room._

"_Yeah, in a minute!" he called back. He looked at the ground, "So, as I was saying, Esme do you want to…" He looked up only to see her snoring and sighed, getting up to help the other guys._

* * *

_**LAS VEGAS**_

"Merritt Mckinley." The screen showed Merritt walking in wearing a black button-up shirt and a black fedora like always, deadpanned, shoulders squared.

"Daniel Atas." The screen showed him walking in as his hair blowed in the 'wind' wearing a white button-up under a black jacket, leaning against a black wall.

"Henley Reeves." The screen showed her walking in with her hair blowing like Daniel's, wearing black also.

"Jack Wilder and Esme Valentine." The screen showed the two leaning against two separate black walls. Jack wore his hair slick back and a black button up with the top buttons undone. Esme let her black hair loose, flowing back above her own black parachute button down shirt.

The aforementioned five walk down a runway: Merritt, Henley, Daniel, Esme, Jack. "Arthur Tressler and the MGM proudly presents . . . " Jack threw a an Ace of Spades at the camera to form a their signature symbol. ". . . the Five Horsemen!"

The crowd applauded and cheered as the Five Horsemen walked around the stage.

"Thank you," Merritt smirked, walking stage left. "Now, we would like to do something that would, well, set us apart."

"For our final trick, we are going to do something never before seen on a Las Vegas stage," Jack spoke up, walking onstage from the steps.

"Or any stage for that matter," Esme walked along stage right.

"Ladies and Gentlemen … " Henley walked down the steps, "Tonight . . ."

Daniel walked up the steps Henley left to centre stage. "We're going to rob a bank." The crowd cheered even louder. "That's a lot of excitement for a crime."

Esme laughed, causing Jack to look over at her adorable laughter. "I'm getting excited!"

"What about you people?!" Jack shouted by her side, picking her up and then placing her back down, seeing Merritt give him a look.

"One … Two… Three!" They both ran and jumped to high-five each other. Jack walked back to Esme and spun her around like during a waltz.

"Okay. Okay. Now, please, please, settle down," Daniel tried. "Now, now, who here has a bank they would like us to rob?"

The other four kept asking at the crowd, "who?" "You?"

"Wow, that is a lot of people with a vendetta," Daniel chuckled, "So, we'll choose one at random."

"And I'll go around to make sure no one is cheating," Esme winked at Jack, whom she walked over to first.

"Elvis, help me out, bud," Jack said as Esme leaned against his shoulder, resting her elbow on him.

"Esme, how we doing over there?" Daniel called.

"No cheating as I can see," she called back, throwing him the ping-pong ball. "Section B. Where is section B?" Section B began to cheer louder than the other dejected sections. If only they knew … Others began cheering as Merritt waved his bowl over the crowd.

"I don't see why everyone is happy. It's only going to be them," Daniel noted.

Esme walked over to Merritt as he chose a pretty, young girl to select a ball. She stood there glancing over at him.

"Esme, can we get a row please?"

Merritt handed Esme the ball, which she switched out.

"Thank you, Merritt and Esme. We are looking at row number five. Where are you, row number five?"

Section B, row five started cheer, louder than the rest of section B. Esme walked over to Henley, who chose a young man to pick her ball.

"Can I get a random seat number please, Henley?"

Henley threw a ball to Esme, who in turn threw the ball to Daniel.

"Lucky number thirteen. B-5-13, where are you?" A spotlight shined on Etienne, their target from Paris. "Sir, please, could you stand up? Could you confirm for me that this is in fact your seat? B-5-13?"

"Yes," he said.

"Okay, wonderful," Daniel tossed the balls back to Esme but they disappeared in midair. "Now could you please tell us your name and the name of your bank."

"Well, my name is Etienne Forcier, and my bank is the Credit Republican of Paris."

"French, okay. Uh, we were hoping for something a little more local like Mom and Pop Credit Uni…" Jack and Esme heard from behind stage as they walked off to get the helmet and set up the cash.

"Hey, Es, want a quickie now?" Jack smirked.

"Jack, we've only got a few minutes," she told him, shaking her head slightly at him.

"Yeah, hence, 'quickie'."

"No," she walked over to him, "but maybe later I could so something you really like." And nibbled his ear a bit.

"God, you are hot."

Esme went to grab the helmet and Jack to check on the opening. They returned a bit early too early, so Esme pushed Jack up against the wall, kissing his neck and lips, nibbling his ear.

"We just wanted to say 'thank you', and by the way, Art, if you noticed the sign out front, we made sure to put your name on top," Henley told him.

"If you turn out to be a good as you think you are, dear girl, that won't be necessary much longer," Arthur said, holding the microphone to his mouth, smiling at her.

"We haven't done our closer yet. Why don't you watch it and you can decide for yourself."

Etienne began to walk upstage when Merritt hit him in the stomach, causing him to hunch forward to a position where Merritt could whisper hypnosis in his ear.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Arthur Tressler."

Jack and Esme were so wrapped up in what they were doing, they almost missed what was going on outside and more importantly: their cue.

"Thank you, and once again, the cardinal of clairvoyance: Merritt McKinney," Daniel introduced, turning towards Merritt, who was snapping Etienne out of his trance and snapping the kissing duo out of their trances.

"Etienne, what Jack and Esme are bringing on stage now is what we in the magic world call a teleportation helmet," Merritt explained. Jack circled the duo, the helmet in his hands, as Esme stood there clapping her hands. Jack walked back to her and rested his chin on her shoulder, hugging her from behind, moving his hands almost too low. "You will need to wear this as it will _literally_ fold through space and time to your bank in the eighth…" Etienne shook his head a bit. "Ninth on this month." _Time zones screw up our near perfect trick_. "Once you are there, we will be able to speak with you through this helmet." Jack started to put the helmet on Etienne's head. "Oh my god, that's beautiful-"

_Not as beautiful as Es_, Jack thought.

"-it has the added effect of being very stylish. It's about time the French learn from America on that subject. Is that a beautiful piece of headgear."

"Now, before you go anywhere, please, pick a card, any card," Daniel held a deck out at to Etienne. Etienne made a failed attempt to grab a card. "No. Nope. Nah. It's an old American joke," Daniel explained, rejecting Etienne's attempt at picking several different cards. You can take that one."

"This one?" Etienne asked.

"Now, show it to your friends in section B but not to us. And if you could sign your name there, in English if possible."

"Ha, good one," Merritt laughed.

"Thank you." Etienne signed the card. "Now put it in your pocket."

"And now for one tiny detail," Henley said, pulling black curtains from her jacket towards Jack and Esme as a sign to 'stop what you're doing'. The curtains circled the air, leaving behind the teleporter as they left.

"Now, Etienne, let's step into this hot commanding contraption. Bonne chance," Merritt led him into the teleporter. "It's 11:50 P.M. here in Vegas, and it's 8:50 A.M. in Paris. Your bank opens in less than ten minutes." Jack and Esme pulled the cover over Etienne sharing sly looks as they thought of the first time they were under the covers themselves.

* * *

_FIVE MONTHS AGO_

_230 FIFTH BAR, NEW YORK_

_NIGHT_

_Esme was completely smashed after her third drink. Jack should have never given her three illegal whiskey drinks; she was recently turned nineteen. She was hitting on several men that came over to her first. She had struck out with four before Jack pulled her away._

"_Jack, let me go," Esme hit his arms that trapped her. "I was finally going to get that guy in bed."_

_Jack laughed, "You're so smashed."_

_When they got back to the hotel, Jack had thrown Esme over his shoulder. She started to hit his back, demanding he put her down. Realising this act was futile, she started singing to see if it would put him to sleep._

"_You're a bad singer even when you're smashed, you know that?"_

"_Hey! I'm amazzzzzzzing," she drawled out. "I have an idea. Let's have sex"_

_God, he really wanted to. But not like this, not while she was drunk, and most definitely not while she didn't know how he grew to feel about her. At first it was lust, now it's … it's not love but it's growing close to that. _

"_No, let's get you to bed so you can sleep this off."_

_Jack put her down to open the door with his key. That's how she caught him off guard, pushing him up against the wall, kissing him roughly and pulling down his leather jacket. Jack responded immediately, switching their roles so that he would be the one pushing her against the wall. His hand found it's way to her hair, where he grabbed a handful, colliding their lips closer. His other hand began to pull her tight, black cocktail dress up as her legs wrapped around his waist with more access from being freed from her dress._

"_Wait, Esme, I can't-"_

"_No more talking, just kissing."_

Alright_, he thought. He picked her up, leading her to the bedroom just as he had before with other women before he met Esme._

* * *

Three of the five horsemen counted down from three. The machine closed together, causing the five to step back. Jack protective pulled Esme behind him, which she was used to ever since he saved her from almost falling out of a helicopter during Daniel's birthday.

"Where'd he go?" Esme asked.

"Wait, wait, wait," Daniel pointed to a screen.

Jack whispered in her ear, "He's there."

The crowd cheered. "Etienne, it's Daniel Atlas. Can you hear me? Etienne, are you okay?"

"Yes," Etienne breathed, barely believing where he was.

"Perfect. What do you see in there?"

"Money," Etienne touched the plastic coating over the Euros, "Is it real?"

"Yes, three million or so Euros worth. Now here's what we need you to do…"

Esme turned to Jack, whispering in his ear, pulling him close by his black suspenders, "Here's what I need _you_ to do. I need you to be tied up against the bed when we get back to the hotel room." She kept whispering in his ear several actions that 'excited' him and he pulled her close in front of him to hide what was growing.

Next thing Jack knew, Esme's hands were on his ass and three million Euros were falling from the ceiling.

"Thank you, Etienne! Thank you, everyone!" Daniel shouted to the crowd.

The five joined hands and bowed, "We are the Five Horsemen! Good night!"

For Jack and Esme, it would most certainly be a good night.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm really excited for this story, and I hope it's better than the last. I took an honors English class last year to get better at writing more professionally and creatively so enjoy :-) And in case any of you thought Jack and Esme would be in a relationship now, they're not. They will be in a relationship later though ;)

**LadyDearie:** Thanks for the constructive criticism and for liking the few chapters so far :-) I'm glad you caught onto the fact that I was trying to introduce a relationship more then have them just be in a relationship. Thanks for reviewing. :-)

**Rissa-channn: **Wow, you read the other one? Whoa, thanks. And I hope this one is better too. I'll try to have some original scenes and extra long writing :-) Thanks for reviewing.


	4. Chapter IV: Drinking Salted Water

_Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love._

_**- Albert Einstein**_

**Chapter IV: Drinking Salted Water**

Esme woke up in Jack's arms … again. She wasn't phased when his muscled arms held her naked waist under the white sheets tightly as if in fear she'd leave and never come back. She didn't move, except for her shoulders breathing up and down with her diaphragm.

_Jack was sitting by the window, playing some game on his iPad or reading the news. The chair he pulled from the dining room left a spacious gap at the table for five the horsemen had grown accustomed to not using simultaneously. His presence near the windowsill was casual as he wore a pair of simple, grey sweatpants and white T-shirt._

_Esme was just beginning to wake from her slumber, looking at the time. 2:59 A.M. She sighed, turning over but not feeling the warm presence of the other body. She looked around the room, propping her upper body on her elbows searching for Jack in blurred vision with squinting eyes. _Ugh, I can't see anything_, she rolled over and grabbed her pair of "hipster glasses" as Henley likes to call them. Rolling out of Jack's bed, she stole his fox sweater, which was multiple sizes too large for her, and pulled on black leggings and rabbit slippers. She began to walk out the slightly open door but stopped when she heard people talking to each other._

"_Daniel is just an ass and a control-freak, you know that," Merritt said._

"_But - " she heard Jack being cut off by Henley._

"_If you love this mystery girl, then just tell her! Plus I'm sure we all know who she is," Henley rolled her eyes at Jack's widening eyes. "Don't look at me like that. We all _know_."_

"_How could you have possib-"_

"_Possibly known?" Merritt asked, scoffing, "Simple. It's called mentalism."_

_Esme heard an 'oompf', which she assumed was a sign that Henley hit him._

"_I'm just saying, we all _know_," Henley told him._

"_You," Jack gulped, "do?"_

"_Yeah, of course," Henley said. "It's that girl that works in tech, right? The one that handles all the lights."_

_Jack sighed with relief, which Henley mistook for nervousness. "Yeah. Yeah, I love this girl who works with us."_

"_Henley, I think you've-"_

"_Oh! I knew it! If you want to confess your love for her, you have to stop bang-"_

"_Henley, I think Jack is actually-"_

"_-ing Esme. Someone might get the wrong impression. _Us Weekly _and_ Seventeen Magazine_have both already written articles saying that you and Es-"_

"_Henley, I think Jack is in love with Es-"_

"_-me are together. You're going to hurt … I actually don't know her name. Huh," Henley giggled, "This is so exci-"_

_Esme fell through the door, landing ungracefully on the wooden floor. _Shit. "_Um, sorry. I just woke up, and I guess I haven't," she faked a yawn successfully, "fully woken up yet. Is there any tea left, or has Dannyboy drank it all?" She rubbed her eyes, pulling Jack's black beanie on her head. He always said it's hers if she wanted it, but she turned the offer down, saying it was just friends borrowing. She was rubbing her eyes again with the sleeves of the sweater, lying stomach down on the floor, when Jack came over to help her get up._

"_Essy, did you happen to hear any of what we said?" Merritt asked._

"_You guys were talking?" Esme feigned innocence. She silently looked around the kitchen, back turned to the other three: Henley who was super excited Jack was in love; Merritt who was shaking his head at Henley; and Jack who was sighing because Esme was in the dark about everything._

Jack, noticing something was aloof, opened his eyes. He tried to reach for the body he had come accustomed to sleeping with but to no avail. He rubbed his eyes with his coarse hands, calling out in a husky voice, "Es? Es, doll, where are you?" He looked over to the chair in his room that still had his fox hoodie on and beanie. _Weird_, he thought, _Every time Es gets out, she puts the hoodie and beanie on in that order._ He got up, pulling on a pair of black sweatpants and a light blue T-shirt.

Esme was humming "A Hard Rain's Fall" by Bob Dylan and making tea and a salad.

Jack smiled, leaning against the staircase, as her back was turned to him. _She's still a bad singer but I can't help _but _be trapped by her beautiful voice._ He continued to watch her sway back and forth, looking over her attire (a light blue robe and bunny slippers with her wet hair unhealthily in a bun), seeing she had just taken a shower.

Esme blinked her eyes slowly, turning around to get her cup when she saw Jack, causing her to drop the pitcher of water, "Holy shitballs, Jack." She pressed a hand to her heart. "What the hell are you doing just standing there? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry, I was just admiring the view from back here," he smiled.

"You and my butt. I swear it's an obsession," she turned around to grab a towel and clean up the water from the unbroken, plastic pitcher. She picked up a spoon that held a sauce on it from some container she shook around, "Come here. Taste this. I tried it, but " - she scrunched her face - "it tasted okay. What do you think I should add?"

Jack leaned forward sipping the sauce, "It's good but too much vinegar." He scrunched up his face too. _We got closer / soon you were eating off my spoon_.

"Want some water?"  
"Yeah." He took one sip and spit it out. "What is that?"

"Salted water, why?" she took a sip, "It's good for the skin." She looked up at him from under her eyelids and noticed him staring at her, _Kissing is like drinking salt water; you drink and your thirst increases_. "What? Have I got something on my face? It happens. I mean, I get _you_ my face," she winked at him and giggled a bit but faltered when he didn't laugh with her. "Jack, what's wrong?" Esme pressed a hand to his face, feeling if he was sick. He wasn't.

Jack pressed is on hand to her face, cupping her small, heart-shaped face in his hand as he looked into her light blue eyes. Esme's breath hitched, and he kissed the corner of her mouth gently. Then, he took it a step further, kissing her soft lips, pulling her bitten lip away from her teeth and to his mouth. He held her neck in his hands, pulling her closer and closer to him, pouring emotion into the kiss.

"Wow," Esme blinked when Jack pulled away.

"Es, I have something to tell you," began.

"Wait, so do I," she put a hand in front of his face.

"Let me go first," he pleaded, looking into her eyes for something. "I - I really, really like you."

"You like me?" she tilted her head.

"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that…"

"What's wrong, Jack? You can tell me anything. We've known each other for a year. Hell, we've been fucking for 42% of the time. You even took my virginity." She implored him, putting her hand to his cheek, forcing him to look at her.

"I - I - Do you want to go out sometime?"

"What?"

"Or lunch and shopping if you want."

"Yeah," she slowly nodded, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Yeah?" Jack looked back at her, watching her nod slowly.

"Yeah. Yes. Si," she nodded her head faster with a smile plastered to her face.

"Really? Sweet!" Esme giggled as Jack picked her up sitting her on the counter and kissing her roughly.

"Ew, come on guys. Not in the kitchen," Merritt walked in, wearing pyjamas. "We eat in here."

* * *

Jack and Esme had gotten back from their first date sometime before one in the afternoon. Jack was true to his word, he took her to breakfast, shopping, and then to lunch later. They'd even brought back food for everyone: sushi for Henley, who was pulling on clothes upstairs; chocolate cake from Trader Joe's for Daniel, who was staring out the window looking for someone; and a vegan burger for Merritt, who was napping under a magazine on the couch.

Esme shrugged off her white, double-breasted coat onto the chair's back as she sat down, leaning backwards on it, "Today was fun. Let's do it again sometime."

Jack pulled out a Queen of Hearts, "You're the queen of my heart." He kissed her cheek.

"Real cute guys. I'm trying my hardest not to vomit as I look out for the police," Daniel called over to them. He stuck his hands out in mock surrender, "I really am trying."

"And here I just thought you were watching the scenery, Dannyboy," Esme replied sarcastically. She jumped onto the kitchen counter, holding her mug of tea as the door was busted open, revealing several agents holding guns. "Oh, and look who decided to show up," she said, sipping her cup.

"Put down the mug down," an agent point his gun at her as if her mug would magically transport her to safety.

Esme looked to Henley as she came down the steps, joining them finally.

"Did you two provoke the police again?" Henley questioned, slipping on her jacket. "I mean, FBI. Come now, darlings. This is the wrong way for attention."

"Hands in the air!" the agents called over to every as they proceeded to pull the magician's arms _down_ and into handcuffs. They led them through a cheering crowd in the casino, into the FBI cab cars to the station downtown.

* * *

"So, Miss Esme Valentine," Agent Dylan Rhodes sat down with Interpol, "I hear you're good with water tricks. You work the side lines with your - who is he? - your boyfriend, Jack Wilder?"

"Let's skip the chit-chat and jibber-jabber," Esme examined her nails. "Besides, Jack is a fuck buddy so far. The dating scene is whole new. We haven't done anything but perform magic." She smirked as his face mixed rage and frustration.

"Tell me how you did that trick. How did you manage to steal money from a bank in Paris?" Rhodes slammed his fists on the table. "I want to know."

"Steal money from Paris?" she mock-laughed. "Why don't you just leave? There isn't any sane judge in all of Nevada that would allow us to be convicted of stealing. But I'm sure Dannyboy already told you that." She laughed in his face, "Oh, did Jack frustrate you too? He does that sometimes. It is so hard to see him in public when I can just pounce -"

"Get her out of her," Rhodes said on the intercom. "Get them all out of here. Then find me someone who can tell me how they did this!" There was no movement as everyone stood there silently. "Now. Move people."

"Hello, honey," Jack kissed Esme's cheek. "Did you play nice with the FBI?"

"I think I was nice enough," she looked up at the sky, mockingly reminiscing her time with Agent Rhodes. "But let's go so I can be bad for you," she whispered in his ear teasingly. Esme got into the car with Jack following behind as Merritt drove the car to the airport.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So . . . I really don't have an excuse for not updating.

On another note, sex is a really big part of Esme and Jack's relationship right now because they're transitioning between friends with benefits to boyfriend and girlfriend.


End file.
